Blister Reviews Objective?

[skibum93]

For the most part, I like Blister Reviews (only pay attention to the snow reviews). The reviews are comprehensive, and if I can stomach my way through the podcast, I learn a great deal about gear design and manufacturing. Compared to TGR threads, it can be easier to find the information I'm looking for. And due to their revenue model, for the most part I've considered them objective.

However, Blister collaborates with Moment on the Blister Pro.... It looks like a sick ski, but doesn't a partnership like that compromise what an objective review would be?
Signing their name on a product doesn't make sense.

I don't pretend to know much about the review industry, so I'm curious what everyone else thinks. Thoughts?

[whyturn]

I think they can't compare to manufacturers who don't give them skis. So without testing all its very subjective. Also conditions and skier type vs charger and floppy etc. so grain of salt like most of TGR reviews

[SupreChicken]

I also think the only reason the collab happened in the first place was because moment changed the design of their favorite ski ever (bibby pro) and blister begged moment to bring it back; which they did, after they renamed it. I don't really see that as a conflict of interest - moment just built them the ski they already loved.

[skibum93]

I also think the only reason the collab happened in the first place was because moment changed the design of their favorite ski ever (bibby pro) and blister begged moment to bring it back; which they did, after they renamed it. I don't really see that as a conflict of interest - moment just built them the ski they already loved.

Ahh thanks for filling me in on the skis' backstory. That resolves the concerns I had about the partnership

[eskido]

You can look into the history (if you have the time), Blister pretty much leaves all their review archives online. Personally, although I don't agree with them a lot of the time, I think they really, really do their best best to be unbiased, and sincerely respect that. That said, if you don't see the obvious Moment love on that site and stoopid disregard of other highly regarded independent co's on their site, you'd be fuckin blind. All that said, including a ton of independent reviews which just keep getting better, I'm very interested in a couple Moment sticks, specifically their touring core and meridian series... Deathwish never gonna be a Concept, but good on em for their obvious trust/love of the Ddub design and underworld, I'd be surprised if I don't eventually end up with a pair. Also really dig that fact that Blister is HQ'd in NM, we really are why we can't have nice things, therefore great testing grounds!


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[sfotex]

Objectivity in the ski industry? Really?

[Ghetto.Creek]

Remember when they skied on the GPO and got shit on?

[grinch]

I generally like them. Gleaned a lot of good beta from them. Any review is subject to variances. We have our preferences to how we want a product to work . Any review should be read between the lines a bit. I was very critical of their Praxis gpo review. I just couldn't understand where they were coming from. In their defence, I think it was their tester and the fact that he came from a freestyle background. He had problems throwing 3's. I don't do 3's unless it's by mistake. I lent mine to a buddy I ski with a lot, that throws 3's off anything. He loved the ski but said on the ski hill when the snow wasn't powder he had problems getting his 3's all the way around. We figured because of the huge tip taper it had less of a lever to pivot when it wasn't pow. I can only imagine it just didn't suit the tester. For me that taper is a fair bit of the magic. Awesome ski, just 2 totally different points of view. I think they do a decent job both with skis and bikes. Definitely more so than the big print companies with huge advertisement $'s coming in

[Aus George]

I have found them (personally) to be pretty accurate and I guess it helps my stats are similar to the most of the reviewers. Their reviews actually say it all, just not as directly as you might prefer... Like they don't want to be too negative without withholding important information.
I got the Moment Belafonte without demoing based on their review. After a few seasons skiing it I went back and re-read what they actually wrote. All the bad stuff is in there, you just tend not to see it as clearly due to the hype being for the most part majority of what you remember from the review. I would say they choose their words very carefully but it's all in there, just read between the lines much like what Grinch said above.

[Gman]

I know they solicit manufacturers for reviews and it isn’t free. You’re not going to find someone completely independent because it’s just not possible. That being said they do a solid job.

[Banh Mi]

There should be a mag deal for the deep dive and all that mumbo jumbo

I wanna see what they said about the new Billy Goats

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[adrenalated]

To paraphrase another mag on here, "none of their reviewers can find the front of their boots if it was highlighted on a map."

I'm not quite that harsh but point is, their reviewers have their biases just like everyone else.

[auvgeek]

I know they solicit manufacturers for reviews and it isn’t free. You’re not going to find someone completely independent because it’s just not possible. That being said they do a solid job.

IIRC, Blister used to purchase all their skis when they first started; now they only review skis they're given for free, which obviously introduces bias I don't see why it's impossible to have independent reviews, just improbable because nobody can make money on it. You could even make it a blind test by having a non-skier spray paint all the skis black. That'd actually be pretty interesting...

Personally, I've learned way, WAY more from TGR than I ever will from blister. Unfortunately, with the advent of blister, fewer and fewer people are writing good ski reviews on TGR these days.

[Cosmic Suncloud]

You could even make it a blind test by having a non-skier spray paint all the skis black. That'd actually be pretty interesting...

when i used to do ski tests, sometimes they would set the skis up so you couldn't read the topsheets. but you could always tell which skis they were by the shape, sidecut, sidewall profile, etc.

[auvgeek]

when i used to do ski tests, sometimes they would set the skis up so you couldn't read the topsheets. but you could always tell which skis they were by the shape, sidecut, sidewall profile, etc.

Plus many companies now die-cut a logo into their bases. Guess it was a stupid thought.

But I like the idea of somebody handing me some skis where I don't know the ski name, brand, etc, and then I have to decide how they actually ski. I bet it'd be harder to figure out than you'd think if the sidewalls and base and topsheets were all black.

[Banh Mi]

Personally, I've learned way, WAY more from TGR than I ever will from blister.

This


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[Cosmic Suncloud]

Plus many companies now die-cut a logo into their bases. Guess it was a stupid thought.

blindfold would work

[jacob_dbu]

While Blister may have their biases, personally I like having more information to read and they spend a lot of time writing content. It's better than Ski and Powder magazines bullshit "reviews".

Hell at least blister posts rocker pics.

[Any]

While Blister may have their biases, personally I like having more information to read and they spend a lot of time writing content. It's better than Ski and Powder magazines bullshit "reviews".
Hell at least blister posts rocker pics.

agree. hate those shit sales pitch reviews. for me its just more reason not to buy that ski instead.

while i assume blister are biased (everyone is biased tho), i really like that blister feel free to say bad stuff about skis too. i think learn more about hearing about a skis faults vs its positives.
eg: i completely expect my next pow ski to really suck at hardpacked groomers. if a reviewer doesn't say so, then its either a bullshit review, they didnt test the ski properly, or its not the ski im looking for.

[Aus George]

I wanna see what they said about the new Billy Goats

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They dont say much... Nothing you don't know already.

[salx]

How do they make a living?

Gesendet von meinem D5803 mit Tapatalk

[gaijin]

In their defence, I think it was their tester and the fact that he came from a freestyle background. He had problems throwing 3's. I don't do 3's unless it's by mistake. I lent mine to a buddy I ski with a lot, that throws 3's off anything. He loved the ski but said on the ski hill when the snow wasn't powder he had problems getting his 3's all the way around. We figured because of the huge tip taper it had less of a lever to pivot when it wasn't pow. I can only imagine it just didn't suit the tester. For me that taper is a fair bit of the magic. Awesome ski, just 2 totally different points of view. I think they do a decent job both with skis and bikes. Definitely more so than the big print companies with huge advertisement $'s coming in

I have to say, in my 30~ish years of throwing 3's, I can't find it in me to ever have considered a tip shape to limit my ability in getting it all the way around.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Good info on blister. They always have weights and profile pics. I agree that the GPO review was an eye opener. It uses the word "difficult" a number of times to describe the ski, which is fairly ridiculous. Skis are so different from each other these days that any good review should focus on how a ski likes to be skied- what sort of input does the skier need to provide to make it perform in different conditions. Blister reviews sometimes to this. Other times reviews seem to be more about whether a ski fits the reviewer's style. I haven't paid enough attention to notice if some reviewers manage to get it right more than others.

[grinch]

I have to say, in my 30~ish years of throwing 3's, I can't find it in me to ever have considered a tip shape to limit my ability in getting it all the way around.

Ya idk, like I say, it wasn't me. My buddy throws them for a joke. Big or small. Maybe he had a couple off days. Doubt it though. He was able to ski out of all of them but there was a few "holy fuck" moments. Ski is detuned fairly aggressive the length of the taper. A lot less effective edge in front of the boot than his skis(most skis) so we figured he couldn't load off the tip edge as much, on hard pack conditions. Have you ever tried 3's on a reverse sidecut ski on hardpack? A little more extreme but probably the same issue, just accentuated. All we could come up with. Just found it odd and trying to give the review a bit of the benefit of the doubt. Entirely possible that my buddy would of adjusted if he skied on them more days too. Amazing skier. He usually adjusts quick and can read a ski well

[Banh Mi]

They dont say much... Nothing you don't know already.

They didnt think it was the best resort powder ski ever??


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